StudioVeena.com Forums Discussions How do u do the iron x

  • How do u do the iron x

    Posted by Naughty Natz on June 6, 2011 at 4:21 am

    I have been trying to do the iron x but dont know where to position my weight or to hold it. Any tips? Also how do ppl do the walking motion in this position>? is the botom arm straight or bent or?

     

    CalBear replied 13 years, 1 month ago 18 Members · 27 Replies
  • 27 Replies
  • MichelleH

    Member
    June 6, 2011 at 6:16 am

    WAAAY too advanced for me, just chipping in to wish you good luck!

  • MichelleH

    Member
    June 6, 2011 at 6:16 am

    WAAAY too advanced for me, just chipping in to wish you good luck!

  • minicoopergrl

    Member
    June 6, 2011 at 9:08 am

    if you can get that – your a certified Gangsta in my book!  Good luck!

  • Charley

    Member
    June 6, 2011 at 10:53 am

    You can do an iron x with either a chinese grip or a twisted grip.  I do mine with twisty grip and I know Veena does hers with Chinese grip.  *I'm working on the chinese iron x – it's so awesome and much harder*

    So to begin, you need to be rather strong and well practiced in either grip.  If twisty grip causes pain for you – don't do it and be sure you are lifting into all twsity grips to avoid injury and keep in mind that you are not in nuetral alignment when you do twisty grips so your dismounts are as important as your mounts – you don't want to be just letting your body fall out of twisty grip.

    I suggest beginning with the a dismount from the pole in your preferred grip.  I prefer to practice this coming out of an extended butterfly because you are closer to the position you need to be in to hold the x.

    From extended butterfly, turn your head and torso towards the ceiling and slowly, control your dismount with legs in straddle down as far as you can safely go and bring yourself back up the pole- maybe this will be iron x, maybe you'll be shy of it – it doesn't matter because eventually it will your iron x.

    Be sure to have a friend or spotter there to help you – if you come down too low and find it difficult to hold have someone assist you down if you are using twisty grip because again you are not in nuetral alignment and hard come downs can injure your rotator cuff and wrist.

    Be sure to keep your belly facing the ceiling – I hold my x parralel and my belly isn't facing up and Alethea called me on it – explaining keeping the belly facing more towards the ceiling with a rounded back is much easier to hold so I am still currently working on those tweaks.

    Hope this helps!

  • mizvix

    Member
    June 7, 2011 at 11:37 am

    I've mostly seen pics and vids of people coming sideways down, ie, their belly facing an audience, rather than their belly's facing up, and this is how i've been practicing it. Is facing your belly up the *proper* way or is it a stepping stone to sideways? Sorry if i'm being dense Charley!

  • Charley

    Member
    June 7, 2011 at 12:50 pm

    Hey Mizvix – I thought the same way but Alethea had said you want to keep the torso facing slightly upwards and the back rounded rather than arched – I hold mine with my back arched.

  • Aviva

    Member
    June 7, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    Wow, there is so much to it.  I can Iron X on both sides twisted grip on left and right and Chinese grip on right and for some reason, maybe the non body alignment Charley speaks of, I can hold the Chinese grip the longest, the left twisted grip next longest and last the right t-grip.  I'm right handed!  I get everything on the rihgt first.  I think I might have to video tape this to see what is going one, maybe I am belly sideways in right t-grip.  I'll let you know if I figure that one out 🙂

  • Kira

    Member
    June 7, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    great tips Charley, like mizvix I always thought you twist your whole body to face the audience but found that that is impossible. The closest I have ever got was when I was trying a slow controlled dismount from the static V and I had 1 leg bent because I found that gave me a bit more control. I don't know the whole mechanics i.e. what muscles I was using but I keep practising it that way because it seemed to help. Best of luck!! Such an awesome move to get

  • lilblondie

    Member
    June 7, 2011 at 7:49 pm

    Charley's explanation is great.  I just had a private with Leigh Ann where she explained her method to me.  It's very similar.  Basically, come into twisted grip handstand in a wide straddle.  (Dismount or lift both work.)  Your face, torso, belly, hips etc. are facing up.  Then lower your hips until your torso is perpendicular to the pole.  Finally, rotate your hips slightly to the side, until the illusion of "iron X" is achieved. 

    It helps to look in a mirror to believe that it really looks to an observer as if you are holding your body completely sideways.  I was sceptical at first!  If you look at some audience videos taken from the side of women like Felix and Rafaela (Brazilian girl from worlds) you can sometimes see that their "Iron X" isn't straight sideways unless viewed from the front.

     

    A note : If you are really strong, especially in the obliques, you CAN hold a flag completely sideways.  I have a friend who does Chinese pole and is built like Superman — he can hold a true flag (straight from all angles) and just does it with brute strength.  But for us ladies, it's not necessary.  Hope this helps.  🙂

     

     

  • Charley

    Member
    June 8, 2011 at 8:49 am

    Lil blondie – that's how Alethea explained it too – but I'm holding mine much more like a flag and I had no idea there was an *easier* way to do it.  I started watching everyone do their X and was like "dang, okay!"  

    Alethea actually said to me – "I don't know how you're holding this right now, must be brute muscle."  

    I'm not saying the iron x isn't hard any way you slice it, just that the way the Be Spun ladies do it – makes more sense and is so much less taxing and if I had known this before I'd have had my X much sooner.  I totally thought I had to flag out. BECAUSE it didn't look like an x on all angles…

    Have a good straddle will help with this too – my stradlle sucks and I feel I have to tip further towards the floor than I would if I had a great straddle – so while you're working on this beast of a move – good idea to also improve your straddle…if it needs improving and mine does – lol!

  • HellsBells

    Member
    June 8, 2011 at 9:31 am

    I love this thread!  You all inspired me to start training this last night.  Thanks everyone for the advice.

  • Cocoa0

    Member
    June 9, 2011 at 1:18 am

    OMG! I have been trying to do it the hard way. I am really close to getting the Extended Aysha the hard way, this might be all I need to nail it. Thanks Charley and lilblondie!

  • Sarahb69

    Member
    June 9, 2011 at 9:58 am

    Ok, now you have me wondering what an Extended Aysha is! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif

  • mizvix

    Member
    June 9, 2011 at 11:26 am

    thanks girls!!! i tried it the way you guys suggested, just turning my legs at the last and i *almost* had it! i had started from scorpio/inside leg, twisted into aysha and just thought 'why not?!' but then my shoulders decided they'd had enough!! lol! So def having more tries at it next week in class when im fresh!!!

  • Cocoa0

    Member
    June 9, 2011 at 12:25 pm

    An Extended Aysha is an elbow grip Iron X. Karol Helms does it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?nomobile=1&v=UUZTsZi3VaM
    And here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVM_WTjcVgM&feature=related

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